How to configure the Properties pane in Lycia Form Designer
By default, the Properties pane displays all the properties available for a certain container or widget in the Lycia abstract model:
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However, it is not convenient for an everyday 4gl development, since:
- not all the properties can be applied to all widgets and containers,
- not all the applicable properties are used equally often,
- you may want to group and/or order the properties in a convenient way,
- you may want to hide the properties you never use, etc.
To make it easier for a 4gl developer to create forms in Lycia Form Designer, Querix has introduced a set of configuration files by which you can configure the Properties pane in the way that suits you most.
The configuration set is a part of the Lycia installation package and is created by the installer.
What you can do with this configuration set
With the help of this configurations suite, 4gl developers can
- Display the properties based on their popularity - make default the properties they use most often; move to advanced the properties they use not very frequently; and hide the properties they never use.
- Order the properties by a convenient order.
- Group the properties conveniently or remove all the groups, if necessary.
Where the configuration set is located
Once loaded, the configuration set is located together with other LyciaStudio configuration files.
If you use default installation paths, then you will find the configuration set at $LYCIA_DIR\LyciaStudio\etc:
If you need, you can change the location of these configuration files.
In this case, you must specify the new folder in lyciastudio.ini - after -vmargs. For example,
-vmargs
-Dcom.querix.fgl.forms.designer.renderer=cef
-Djava.util.logging.config.file=C:\Program Files\Querix\Lycia\LyciaStudio\log_config\logging.properties
-Dcom.querix.fgl.forms.designer.fd_properties=C:/Program Files/Querix/Lycia/LyciaStudio/my_configs/fd_properties
Types of configuration files
The set of configuration files includes 3 types of files:
- listWidget.txt - the main configuration file that lists all the widget/container configuration files,
- group configuration files - e.g., i_general.prp.csv - configuration files that configure main groups of properties - general properties, events, field, layout, and appearance properties, and
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element configuration files - e.g., Button.prp.csv or GridPanel.prp.csv - configuration files that configure the Properties pane for a definite widget or container.
Below are some examples of these files.
Click here to see the content of listWidget.txt.
BlobViewer.prp.csv
Button.prp.csv
Browser.prp.csv
CheckBox.prp.csv
Canvas.prp.csv
ComboBox.prp.csv
Calendar.prp.csv
FunctionField.prp.csv
Form.prp.csv
Label.prp.csv
ListBox.prp.csv
MenuBar.prp.csv
MenuGroup.prp.csv
MenuCommand.prp.csv
MenuSeparator.prp.csv
PlaceHolder.prp.csv
ProgressBar.prp.csv
Radio.prp.csv
RadioGroup.prp.csv
Slider.prp.csv
Spinner.prp.csv
TextArea.prp.csv
TextField.prp.csv
Toolbar.prp.csv
ToolbarGroup.prp.csv
ToolbarButton.prp.csv
ToolbarSeparator.prp.csv
TimeEditField.prp.csv
WebComponent.prp.csv
BorderPanel.prp.csv
CoordPanel.prp.csv
GridPanel.prp.csv
GroupBox.prp.csv
StackPanel.prp.csv
Tab.prp.csv
TabPage.prp.csv
ScrollViewer.prp.csv
Table.prp.csv
TreeTable.prp.csv
Click here to see the content of i_general.prp.csv.
#General group config
,actions,A
,allowNewLines,H
i_appearance.prp.csv $include$
,classNames,D
,collapsed,A
,collapsible,A
,comment,A
,displaymodes,A
,enable,A
i_events.prp.csv $include$
i_field.prp.csv $include$
,identifier,D
,includes,A
i_layout.prp.csv $include$
,tabIndex,H
,text,D
,toolTip,H
Click here to see the content of FunctionField.prp.csv.
#FunctionField config
i_general.prp.csv $include$
Events,D
Field,D
Field,autonext,A
Field,century,A
Field,dataType,A
Field,fieldType,H
Field,format,A
Field,invisibleValue,A
Field,reverse,A
Field,textPicture,A
Field,toCase,A
Field,verify,A
Layout,borderPanelItemLocation,D
Layout,gridItemLocation,D
Layout,location,D
,text,A
All the files are editable for users with administrative rights.
Structure of the configuration files
Group and element configuration files have a similar structure.
They contain three types of information:
- title,
- references to the included group configuration files, and
- property configurations proper.
Title is a commented line that includes the name group or element and the word config, e.g.,
#General group config
#FunctionField config
These lines tell LyciaStudio to use a definite group configuration file for configuring properties listed in it:
i_general.prp.csv $include$
i_layout.prp.csv $include$
If you do not refer to a included group configuration file, you will need to configure all such properties by hand in the element configuration file.
Precedence rules are given here.
These are the lines by which you configure the properties as such.
All the properties can be:
- D - made default because they are used most often;
- A - moved to advanced because they are used not very frequently; and
- H - hidden because they are never used.
For example,
Layout,gridItemLocation,D
Field,textPicture,A
Field,autonext,A
The default properties are displayed in the Properties pane when the Show advanced properties button - 
- is unpressed.
The advanced properties are displayed in the Properties pane when the Show advanced properties button - - is pressed.
The hidden properties are not displayed in the Properties pane - it doesn't matter whether the Show advanced properties button - - is pressed or unpressed.
The syntax of the line can be different depending on how you want to group properties:
The property will appear in the root of the Properties list:
,identifier,D
The property will appear in the specified folder of the Properties list:
Field,autonext,A
The property will appear in the sub-folder of the specified folder in the Properties list:
Events.OnKey,OnKeyDown,D
The folder will appear in the root of the Properties list:
Field,D
How to change the configuration files
All the files in the configuration set are editable for users with administrative rights.
To change the configuration file, you must follow these simple steps.
Step 1. Open the necessary configuration file.
Step 2. Configure the property by editing, adding, or removing its line.
Step 3. Save the configuration file.
Step 4. Restart LyciaStudio.
Step 5. Open an .fm2 form in the Design mode.
Now the location of the property in the Properties pane has changed.
Important things to remember
This set of configuration files was created to make it easier for a 4gl developer to create .fm2 forms.
That is why their mechanism and syntax is very simple.
However, there are some basic rules that you must still remember.
- Element configuration files precede over group configuration files - if you hide a property differently in the group and move it to advanced in the element configuration file, it will be advanced in LyciaStudio.
- In LyciaStudio, properties appear in the same order as they are written in the configuration file.
- Names of the configuration files are case-sensitive.
- Misspelled properties are ignored - misspelling will do no harm to the form but the property will be configured in one of the group configuration files.
- If you accidentally delete one or more configuration files from the set, they will be automatically restored after you relaunch LyciaStudio and open an .fm2 form.
- If in lyciastudio.ini you specify a path to a non-existing folder, the whole set of configuration files will be switched off.
How to switch off the configuration set
If you do not want to use one or more configuration files, you can "switch them off" by commenting the corresponding line in listWidget.txt:
